Toyah Cordingley death: Suspect who fled to India hours after Queensland woman’s death wants to fight charge in Australia

A man who police allege murdered a young Queensland woman before fleeing to India has made a significant statement.

A man who police allege murdered a young woman on a secluded Queensland beach and then fled to India hours later wants to fight the charge against him in Australia.

Police allege the former Queensland nurse fled to the northern state of Punjab after Toyah Cordingley was murdered while walking her dog at Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, in October 2018.

She was 24 years old.

Rajwinder Singh told an Indian court he wanted to waive his right to challenge extradition from India to Australia.

In an official statement to the Delhi District Court this week, Mr Singh said he wanted to be extradited as soon as possible to contest the charge, ABC reported.

A few days earlier, he reportedly told AAP “I did not kill the woman”.

“I want to go back. It is the (Indian) judicial system that has been holding things up,” he was reported to have said.

Toyah Cordingley’s body was found on a beach in Cairns, Far North Queensland, in 2018.

Queensland Police offered a $1 million reward to help find Rajwinder Singh. Picture: Queensland Police

He was arrested in India over the death of Ms Cordingley in November. Picture: Delhi Police

Indian authorities arrested Mr Singh, 38, in connection with Ms Cordingley’s murder in November last year after a four years-long manhunt.

About three weeks earlier Queensland Police had offered a $1 million reward for information from the public leading to the location and arrest of Mr Singh.

Police said he lived in Innisfail but was originally from Buttar Kalan, Punjab India.

The former nurse left behind his job, wife and their three children when he flew from Cairns to Sydney and then out of Australia after Ms Cordingley’s death.

Rajwinder Singh captured on CCTV leaving Australia on October 23, 2018. Picture: Queensland Police

The 24-year-old went missing on Sunday October 21, 2018 before her body was tragically discovered by her father the following morning.

Police have previously said her injuries were “visible” and “violent”.

Toyah Cordingley was murdered at Wangetti Beach in October 2018 while walking her dog.

In October last year, family, friends and the wider community marked the fourth anniversary of Ms Cordingley’s death with a service at the memorial site built by her loved ones at Wangetti Beach.

Family spokesman David Trimble told NCA NewsWire they think of her everyday.

“She’d probably be married now or have kids. She loved animals, so she would probably be working with them,” he said at the time.

He added: “The community, the family and the authorities will never give up on it and I mean that.

“It was horrific what happened and it really stung the community here.

“It was on our doorstep and it was absolutely terrible, it shook a lot of people.”